Improving Gas Well Drilling and Completion with High Energy Lasers - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1

Improving Gas Well Drilling and Completion with High Energy Lasers

Brian C. Gahan Gas Technology Institute

2

Drilling for Oil and Gas in the US

Oil and Gas Wells Drilled, 1985-2000

Exploratory and Development

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00

Total Footage Drilled (Millions of Feet)

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Total Wells Drilled Per Year (000)

Total Footage Drilled (Oil, Gas, & Dry Holes) Petroleum Total Wells Completed

3

Drilling for Oil and Gas in the US

7000 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 1959 1964 1969 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 Dollars per Foot

Average Cost per Foot Average Depth per Well

Estimated Cost Per Foot and Average Depth Per Well of All Wells (Oil, Gas and Dry) Drilled Onshore in the U.S. from 1959 - 1999 (DeGolyer and MacNaughton, 2000)

6000 5000 3000 4000 Depth (ft) 2000 1000 Year

4

Drilling for Oil and Gas in the US

! 1990 GRI Study on Drilling Costs

Major Categories % of Total Time Making Hole 48 Changing Bits 27 And Steel Casing Well & Formation Characteristics 25 Total Drilling Time 100%

.

5

High-energy Laser Applications

Lasers could play a significant role as a vertical boring & perforating tool in gas well drilling

6

System Vision

! Laser on surface or within drilling

tubing applies infrared energy to the working face of the borehole.

! The downhole assembly includes

sensors that measure standard geophysical formation information, as well as imaging of the borehole wall, all in real time.

! Excavated material is circulated to the

surface as solid particles

7

System Vision

! When desired, some or all of the

excavated material is melted and forced into and against the wall rock.

! The ceramic thus formed can replace

the steel casing currently used to line well bores to stabilize the well and to control abnormal pressures.

8

System Vision

! When the well bore reaches its target

depth, the well is completed by using the same laser emergy to perforate through the ceramic casing.

! All this is done in one pass without

removing the drill string from the hole.

9

Laser Product Development

LASER BASIC RESEARCH Laser FE Laser Drilling Assist Laser Perf

10

Off Ramp: Perforating Tool

! Proposal Submitted to

Service Industry Partner

! Purpose

– Complete or re-complete existing well using laser energy

! Requirements

– Durable, reliable laser system – Energy delivery system – Purpose designed downhole assembly

11

Preliminary Feasibility Study

! Laser Drilling Experiments – 11/97

– Basic Research – 2 years

! Three High-Powered Military Lasers

– Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) – Mid Infra-Red Advanced Chemical Laser (MIRACL) – CO2 Laser

! Various Rock Types Studied

– Sandstone, Limestone, Shale – Granite, Concrete, Salt

12

MIRACL – Simulated Perf Shot

A two-inch laser beam is sent to the side of a sandstone sample to simulate a horizontal drilling application.

13

MIRACL – Simulated Borehole Shot

After a four-second exposure to the beam, a hole is blasted through the sandstone sample, removing six pounds of material.

14

GRI-Funded Study Conclusions

! Previous Literature Overestimated SE ! Existing Lasers Able to Penetrate All Rock ! Laser/Rock Interactions Are a Function of

Rock and Laser (Spall, Melt or Vaporize)

! Secondary Effects Reduce Destruction ! Melt Sheaths Similar to Ceramic

Study Conclusions Indicate Additional Research is Warranted

15

Laser Drilling Team – Phase I

Gas Technology Institute DOE NETL Argonne National Laboratory Colorado School of Mines Parker Geoscience Consulting Halliburton Energy Services PDVSA-Intevep, S.A

16

Drilling With The Power Of Light

! DOE Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-00NT40917

– Original Proposed Tasks and Timeline

Quarter 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 Quarter 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Task 1. Project Structure and Management Task 2. Fundamental Research 2.1 Laser cutting energy assessment series 2.2 Variable Pulse Laser Effects 2.3 Drilling Under Insitu Conditions 2.4 Rock-Melt Lining Stability 2.5 Gas Storage Stimulation 2.6 Laser Induced Rock Fracturing Model 2.7 Laser Drilling Engineering Issue Identification Task 3. System Design Integration 3.1 Solids Control 3.2 Pressure Control 3.3 Bottom-hole Assembly 3.4 High Energy Transmission 3.5 Completion and Stimulation Techniques for Gas Well Drilling 3.6 Completion and Stimulation Techniques for Gas Storage Wells Task 4. Data Synthesis and Interpretation Task 5. Integration and Reporting Task 6. Milestones Task 7.Technology Transfer Year 3 Year 2 Year 1

TABLE 3: WORK TASK TIMELINES

2001 2002 2003 2000

17

First Phase (FY-01) Objectives

! Accepted Phase 1 Task List

• 1. Laser cutting energy assessment
• 2. Variable pulse laser effects (Nd:YAG)
• 3. Lasing through liquids

Quarter 4 1 2 3 Quarter 1 2 3 4 1.0 Project Structure and Management 1.1 Laser cutting energy assessment series 1.2 Variable Pulse Laser Effects 1.3 Conduct Lasing Through Liquids 1.4 Topical Report Year 1 2001 2000 TABLE 3: WORK TASK TIMELINES

18

Phase I Laser: 1.6 kW Nd:YAG

Laser Beam

Rock

Neodymium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG)

Coaxial Gas Purge Focusing Optics 1.27 cm 7.6 cm

19

Conclusions: GTI/DOE Phase I

! SE for Shale 10x Less Than SS or LS ! Pulsed Lasers Cut Faster & With Less

Energy Than Continuous Wave Lasers.

! Fluid Saturated Rocks Cut Faster Than Dry

Rocks.

! Possible Mechanisms Include: ! More Rapid Heat Transfer Away From

the Cutting Face Suppressing Melting

! Steam Expansion of Water ! Contributing to Spallation

20

Conclusions: GTI/DOE Phase I

! Optimal Laser Parameters Observed to

Minimize SE for Each Rock Type

! Shorter Total Duration Pulses Reduce

Secondary Effects from Heat Accumulation

! Rethink Laser Application Theory – Rate

• f Application: Blasting vs Chipping

! Unlimited Downhole Applications Possible

due to Precision and Control (i.e., direction, power, etc.)

21

DOE-GTI/NGOTP-ANL Phase 2 In Progress

! Continuation of SE Investigations

– Effects at In-Situ Conditions – Effects of Multiple Bursts and Relaxation Time – Observations at Melt/Vapor Boundary

22

Supporting Slides Detailing Phase I Work

23

Laser Cutting Energy Assessment

!

Measure specific energy (SE)

– Limitation of variables

• SS, shale and LS samples
• Minimize secondary effects

– Identify laser-rock interaction mechanisms (zones)

• Spall, melt, vaporize

24

Just Enough Power

! Conducted Linear Tests

– Constant Velocity Beam Application (dx) – Constant Velocity Focal Change (dz)

! Five Zones Defined in Linear Tests ! Identified Zones Judged Desirable for

Rapid Material Removal

– Boundary Parameters Determined for Spall into Melt Conditions

25

Laser/Rock Interaction Zones

! Zone Called Thermal Spallation Judged Desirable

for Rapid Material Removal

! Optimal Laser Parameters Were Determined to

Minimize:

– Melting – Specific Energy (SE) Values – Other Energy Absorbing Secondary Effects, and – Maximize Rock Removal

! Short Beam Pulses Provided “Chipping”

Mechanism Comparable to Conventional Mechanical Methods

26

Zonal Differences

! SE differs greatly between zones ! Shale shows clear SE change between

melt/no melt zones

! Much analysis remains to understand

sensitivities of different variables

27

SE vs Measured Average Power (kW)

SH11A SH10 SH11B2 SH18A SH12B2 SH8 SH11B1 SH13A SH15A1 SH15A2 SH12B1 SH2 SH6

R2 = 0.9095 1 2 3 4 5 6 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 Measured Average Power (kW)

Specific Energy (kJ/cc)

Zone 3 - Significant Melt Zone 2 - No Melt

Minimum SE Spallation

28

Lithology Differences

! Differences between lithologies more

pronounced when secondary effects minimized

! Shale has lowest SE by an order of

magnitude.

! Sandstone and limestone remain similar,

as in CW tests

29

All ND:YAG Tests

1 10 100 1000 10000 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Average Power W Specific Energy kJ/cc

Sandstone Limestone Shale

30

SE Values: Wet vs. Dry Samples

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0.5 1 Power (kW) Specific Energy (kJ/cc)

Dry rock samples Dry rock samples Water-saturated samples

Dry Wet

Atmospheric Conditions .